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Forth Junction
Tourism board supports rail project
reprinted from Red Deer
Advocate (Laura Tester) October 28, 2010
Tourism Red Deer is
giving an initial stamp of approval to a Red Deer group's proposal
for a children's theme park and group transportation museum in the
largely undeveloped district of Riverlands.
Executive director Darren Kuz said the tourism board met earlier
this month with Paul Pettypiece, president of Forth Junction
Heritage Society, to hear the group's dreams for tourist attractions
in the city and Red Deer County that embrace a railway theme.
Kuz said the board was impressed with what they heard and as a
result, the project is being supported in principle. A letter of
support will be crafted and given to Pettypiece within a week.
"In general, they were very supportive of his presentation and the
hard work that was put into the proposal," said Kuz on Wednesday.
"Whatever goes into Riverlands, we'll do what we can to market it to
residents and to visitors."
The heritage society wants to see shops, a children's theme park,
observation tower restaurant and ground transportation museum within
Riverlands, west of Taylor Drive and south of the Taylor Bridge. A
second main attraction will occur in an unidentified location within
Red Deer County. It would include replicas of several regional
railway stations for overnight lodging, a railway park, and a
lookout tower.
Being in the initial stages, the society's plans haven't received
formal endorsements by the city and county.
Kuz added he anticipates Tourism Red Deer's first study on tourism's
economic impact will be done by the end of 2010.
Tourism Red Deer hired Atif Kubursi, an economic professor at
Hamilton's McMaster University, to do the $30,000 study funded
through the City of Red Deer.
"We want to find out the overall value of what the tourism industry
is," said Kuz.
Some of the questions that will be answered include the number of
full-time jobs directly related to tourism within the city and
surrounding area.
The study's results will help Tourism Red Deer to craft detailed
marketing plans, Kuz said.
News articles about the Forth Junction Heritage Society
(more below):
News article: World-class destination centre
still in the works
(Innisfail Province Nov.2013)
Editorial: Praise today's big dream
(Innisfail Province Jan.2012)
Editorial: Railway concept captures region's uniqueness
(Olds Albertan Jan.2012)
Feature article: Forth Junction targets county
(Mountain View Gazette Dec.2011)
News article: Forth Junction pulling toward a
new station
(Red Deer Advocate Dec.2011)
News articles related to ACR/CPR Mintlaw bridge
mentioning the Forth Junction Heritage Society:
News article: Plans for Mintlaw Bridge waiting
on public feedback
(Mountain View Gazette Feb.2012)
News article: Opposition comes forward to Mintlaw Bridge preservation
(Mountain View Gazette May 2011)
News article: RD County antes up for Mintlaw
Bridge repairs
(Mountain View Gazette Nov.2010)
News article: Bridging gap between history and
disrepair
(Red Deer Advocate Nov.2010)
News article related to regional model and miniature railways
mentioning the Forth Junction Project:
News
article: Trains still roll for some
(Red Deer Advocate Nov.2012)
News articles related to historic downtown Red Deer redevelopment
mentioning the Forth Junction Project
(the original vision of the Forth Junction Heritage Society included
an attraction in the new downtown
Riverlands but this vision was modified to have one destination
close to the city and active rail line):
News article: Railyards: Open house on a
20-year plan for downtown (Red Deer Advocate June 2011)
News article: Riverlands: Strong turnout for
open house (Red Deer Advocate
March 2011)
Commentary: Red Deer could use more bold
visionary landmark designers
(Red Deer Express Sep.2010)
Michael Dawe articles related to regional railway heritage
mentioning the Forth Junction Heritage Society:
Region celebrating century of railroad
heritage
(Red Deer Express March 2010)
Mintlaw Bridge essential to region's railroad
heritage
(Red Deer Express March 2010)
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